Late Thursday Evening - A Josiah Update

Josiah @ 4:12 PM Thursday April 19th)
... a slumbering fan :)

Josiah @ 4:12 PM Thursday, April 19th
... Ladies Beware! Looking HOT in yellow! ... now if only Mommy
would allow Daddy to wear his yellow suit!! :D

Eh, really it's Friday morning :)

OK. So Josiah finished off his day on a positive note. Around 12:40 in the afternoon the nurse sedated him with chlorol hydrate (sounds like it could be a primary ingredient of chloroform!) and Josiah was able to have an awesome 5-hour sleep. When he woke up he wasn't bother or frustrated, and didn't automatically d-sat/brady like he had every time earlier in the day when he woke up. Josiah had 2 long awake stretches this evening (about an hour each time) and now Marie was able to get him to sleep again (finally). The nurse has put an IV in his head just in case a procedure was necessary, but now the IV will most likely be taken out since Josiah has leveled well.

There are some positives and some concerns with Josiah's smaller tube (a 3.0 mm breathing tube). Obviously, it's narrower so at times he has to work a little harder at getting air into his lungs. The doctors say that it won' be any easier for him to extubate himself (a relief in part), but I think also his secretions can accumulate a little quicker because the tube in narrower.

On the plus side, though, it seems that the 3.0 is less invasive and doesn't disturb him as much. Josiah is generating less secretions and doesn't spontaneously brady like he previously did. Josiah still struggles coming out of a suction (but really, anyone would when all the air is being sucked out of their lungs) but every time can recover himself (or receives a little oxygen assistance from the nurses/RT's). Josiah's awake times were fantastic today, another sign that the smaller tube is less of a bother. Also, he can get more air around his tube, which means we can hear him cough, wheeze, snore, and cry a little.

Thankfully, the ENTs say that the 3.0 is adequate for Josiah's size, and they would prefer keeping it in him unless he really needs to be extubated. We are praying (and asking!) that an ENT will be able to come by Josiah tomorrow to give him an assessment (since he's a week overdue for one!!). Also, a doctor also mentioned that the size of Josiah's 'leak' (ability to move air around his tube) is a good sign that he'll be able to handle an extubation (great!), but again befuddles us even more as to why the doctor last night wasn't able to intubate him with a 3.5 when there is all this extra room now!

So please pray for our Josiah, his safety through out the evening and day, his continued recovery from a tough day, and his preparation for his extubation. God is doing and will do a work in his body, I'm convinced of it. The Bible says Jesus will do what we ask of him (of course, Jesus doesn't say how and when he will but we'll leave that up to his timing!!). Pray also for the wisdom Marie and I need in asking the right questions and making the right decisions. Pray that we will continue to be able to work with the doctors and not view them as the enemy (which is really easy to do some days I tell ya!)

... and it's time for bed. G'Nite and God bless.
- Andrew, Marie & Josiah